The invention relates to a device for keeping flies from landing on platters of uncovered food served on a table.
Previous attempts have been made to design devices for killing or keeping flies and other insects away from open food. One example is illustrated in the Bittner U.S. Pat. No. 2,737,753. He uses a whipping element 20 that rapidly rotates in a plane adjacent a light that attracts insects for the purpose of striking and destroying the insects. Another device is illustrated in the White U.S. Pat. No. 3,258,200 that shows the use of a propeller turned at a high rate of velocity for the purpose of directing an air stream across the food area on the top of a picnic table in order to prevent flies from landing on the food.
The White U.S. Pat. No. 3,446,428 discloses an overhead suspended and mobile insect repelling apparatus that establishes a boundary layer of forced air around a given area, such as a picnic area, a work bench, or a hammock.
The Tasmia U.S. Pat. No. 4,251,945 discloses a light fixture incorporating a motorized insect exterminator. A filament is rotated at a rapid rate of speed in front of a light source that attracts the fly and it is fatally hit by the revolving impeller as it attempts to fly toward the light.
It is an object of the invention to provide a novel fly deterrent apparatus that can be placed upon a table top for the purpose of preventing flies from landing on food that has been spread on the table top.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a novel fly deterrent apparatus that is portable and contains its own source of power.
It is another object of the invention to provide a novel fly deterrent apparatus that has an elongated flexible wand that is rotated at a slow speed over the food on a table top for the purpose of providing a distraction to a fly such that it would not enter the area covered by the rotating wand.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel fly deterrent apparatus that is economical to manufacture and market.